‘More important’ than 2024: Women to play key role in midterms

WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — In battleground states across the country, women are showing up this election cycle, with some voting for the first time in their lives following the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

In November, 43-year-old Krissy Messina will be casting her first ballot. The Pittsburgh mother of three girls said the June 24 Supreme Court decision was the turning point for her. She believes the midterm elections may be “even more important than the presidential election.”

“Women’s rights are being threatened to be taken away … I couldn’t just sit down anymore; I had to register to vote,” she said.

Abortion is still legal in Pennsylvania, through the 23rd week of pregnancy and after that if the mother’s health or life is in danger, but should Republicans take control in the state, they have sweeping new restrictions at the ready.

Democrats are hoping the Supreme Court ruling will drive women to the polls and help to blunt some expected Republican gains come November.

In the meantime, Republicans are working to appeal to women voters as some male candidates bring in their wives to put a woman’s face on their campaign.

A recent ad for Blake Masters, a Republican Arizona Senate Candidate, featured his partner Catherine Masters.

“He would make Arizona so proud,” she said in the video.

Usha Vance, wife of Republican Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance, also joined her husband in his campaign.

“Our family story is an Ohio story,” said in an ad that has since been removed from YouTube.

Ohio is one of several competitive states seeing an uptick in female voter registration since the Supreme Court draft ruling leaked in early May.  

In Kansas, the week after the Supreme Court decision, more than 70% of newly registered voters were women, a phenomenon that likely helped deliver a surprise victory for abortion rights supporters in a referendum in August.

But with nine weeks left before the midterms, there is still time for Republicans to limit Democrat’s inroads with women voters.

“The Democrats are certainly trying to capitalize on this Roe v. Wade female turnout but the Republicans are going to formulate a message and they’re going to spend some money as well,” said Head of Data Science Scott Tranter of Decision Desk HQ. 

Tranter tells believes it’s the female voters over the age of 60 that could be the difference maker in some of these key races for two reasons: they outlive male voters and vote at a higher rate.